As he stepped out of the main tent, Fuguki quietly considered who he should take with him on this mission.
'Well… I should definitely bring Yukina-chan along on this mission. It's been a while since I last spent time with her, and this will give me a chance to see how much she's improved. Besides… this mission could be a good opportunity for her to broaden her horizons.'
'I should bring Kisame along as well. One day, he'll inherit Samehada from me, so I need to see for myself how much he's improved.'
'Mangetsu and Zabuza should come as well. They're part of the next generation of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. It's a shame Yukina-chan has no interest in becoming one of them… she had the greatest potential out of all of them.'
Fuguki slowly pulled Samehada's handle from behind his back, his grip firm as he addressed the sentient blade.
"Find Yukina… and lead me to her, Samehada."
"GIGIGIGI!"
At Fuguki's command, Samehada tore itself from his grasp and shot toward the woods like a living beast. Fuguki followed close behind, his massive frame vanishing into the forest in pursuit.
After a few minutes, they arrived at the clearing. Yukina stood there, silent and still, her eyes close. Fuguki's gaze locked at her, cutting through the shadows that clung to her like a veil.
"WHOOSH!"
At that instant, countless green leaves cascaded around her like a torrential rain. Suddenly, Yukina's eyes snapped open, and an invisible, razor-sharp aura erupted from her, slicing through every falling leaf. They disintegrated into fine powder, scattering into the wind as if they had never existed.
Fuguki's lips curved into a wide smirk, his eyes softening as a surge of pride swelled in his chest, warm and undeniable.
"She's mastered the sword aura… completely. That's my girl. I can't help but envy your talent, Yukina-chan."
He let out a quiet sigh that no one could hear, yet a wide, genuine smile spread across his face. With steady steps, he moved forward, each one carrying a mix of warmth and pride, until he reached Yukina.
"Yukina… you've done exceptionally well. You have mastered the sword aura completely. But now… the real challenge begins—figuring how to fuse it perfectly with your own fighting style."
Yukina's lips curved into a gentle smile, and she gave a small, graceful nod, her eyes shimmering with mischief..
"Heh… I know, Sensei! I've already begun fusing my sword aura with my swordplay—and even with the sword art I invented myself!"
Fuguki's eyes widened for a fleeting moment, a spark of curiosity and interest flickering within them, before he finally spoke.
"…You actually invented a sword art?"
Yukina's lips curved into a gentle smile, and she gave a soft nod, her eyes sparkling with pride.
"Yes, I did… I just didn't get the chance to show you, sensei. You've been too busy with this war."
Fuguki let out a soft sigh, a faint smile tugging at his lips, and nodded slowly, eyes glinting with quiet understanding.
"I see… Yukina, get ready. You're coming on a mission with me. We need to deliver a message to the Raikage. Go inform Zabuza, Mengetsu, and Kisame. We meet in half an hour, in front of the main tent."
Yukina's brows furrowed in confusion, as she asked,
"…So, are we considering forming an alliance with Kumogakure?"
Fuguki's eyes snapped wide, a flash of disbelief cutting through his composed face as Yukina's words sank in.
"How… did you manage to figure this out?"
Yukina tilted her head slightly, a mischievous glint in her eyes, and shrugged her shoulders with a playful grace. Her smile, soft yet captivating.
"Come on, sensei, give me some credit. We're in the middle of a war—why would we waste time contacting Kumogakure if we weren't planning to form an alliance with them?"
Fuguki let out a low chuckle, the sound rumbling softly from his chest, and nodded, his eyes glinting with a mix of amusement and calculation.
"Heh… you're sharp, little one. Yes, Mizukage-sama is planning an alliance with Kumogakure. Our mission is to personally deliver Mizukage-sama's invitation to the Raikage… and make sure it reaches him without delay."
Yukina's eyes flickered in understanding. She nodded once, her smile calm but she was excited at the same time.
'Heh… this war grows more thrilling by the minute. I wonder just how skilled—and dangerously charming—the shinobi of Kumogakure truly are. I hope they don't end up disappointing me… like that Uchiha.'
"Understood, sensei… I'll go notify Zabuza and the others. I'll meet you in half an hour."
Fuguki nodded, approvingly, a faint smirk tugging at his lips as he spoke.
"Good. Make sure they prepare at least a month's worth of supplies… we can't afford to be caught unready."
Yukina gave a nod, her eyes glinting with anticipation as she absorbed Fuguki's words.
"Understood, Sensei… I'll see you later."
Yukina spun on her heel, ready to shunshin away, but a sudden pause froze her mid-step. Her eyes locked onto Fuguki while smiling mischivesely at him.
Fuguki raised his eyebrows in confusion as he stared at Yukina.
"Yukina… what's the matter?"
Yukina flipped her long black hair over her shoulder, a mischievous giggle escaping her lips.
"Sensei… you really need to loosen up and shake off all that stress. Why not have some fun with Haru-sensei? It's too bad my aunt got assigned to another troop… but still, Haru-sensei has that plumpy round buttocks that guys tend to like. I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself with her."
Fuguki froze, his eyes widening as Yukina's words sank deep into his mind. For a heartbeat, his mouth opened, yet no words came out. But Yukina didn't hesitate. She stepped forward, the soft swish of her hair trailing behind her. When she stopped just a foot away, she let out a delicate giggle, covering her mouth with one hand in an irresistibly cute gesture, before continuing, her eyes sparkling it locked at Fuguki.
"Hehe… you know, if I were old enough, I'd have fun with handsome men! After all, war is so stressful… a beautiful girl like me deserves a little fun, don't you think?"
Fuguki could no longer contain himself; a booming laugh escaped his lips, echoing through the air.
"HAHAHAHA! You're far too cheeky, little girl. I can only imagine what kind of woman you'll become once you've grown up."
Yukina let out a soft snort of amusement, the corner of her lips curling into a playful smile. Then, without another word, she turned on her heel—and in the next instant, vanished in a blur of motion with a swift Shunshin.
After Yukina vanished from his sight, Fuguki shook his head with a faint smile, then let out a quiet chuckle.
"Heh… Little Yukina does have a point. This war's been wearing on me more than I'd like to admit. Once this mission is over, I might just drag Haru off somewhere and have fun with her."
After making up his mind, Fuguki vanished in a swift Shunshin, disappearing from sight.
________
Half an hour later
Yukina, Mangetsu, Kisame, and Zabuza arrived before the main tent at Kirigakure's base.
Fuguki, who had been waiting for their arrival, gave them a firm nod and spoke in a calm, commanding tone.
"Good. You're not late. I'll make this brief, so listen carefully."
Zabuza and the others nodded, their expressions turning serious as they listened closely to what Fuguki was about to say.
"Sunagakure and Konoha are currently in negotiations, and there's a strong chance they'll form an alliance. We need an alliance of our own to counter theirs."
"So, Lord Mizukage has decided to pursue an alliance with Kumogakure."
Zabuza's sharp eyes narrowed as he turned toward Fuguki, a hint of confusion in his voice.
"Fuguki-sama… wouldn't forming an alliance with Iwagakure be the smarter move? They're already allied with the Village Hidden in the Waterfall. With our numbers, we could easily counter a Konoha–Suna alliance."
Fuguki let out a long, measured sigh. Slowly, he nodded, his expression serious as he started answering Zabuza's question.
"Ever since the First Ninja War, our village has known nothing but bad blood with Iwagakure after Lord Second's death… and their current Tsuchikage? He's infamous for stabbing his allies in the back the moment it suits him."
"There's no doubt… Onoki will turn on us the moment our guard drops."
Kisame and the others nodded in unison, their expressions firm with understanding.
"Our mission is straightforward. We must deliver Lord Mizukage's letter to the Raikage and await his response—whether he is willing to meet and discuss the details of an alliance between our two villages."
Fuguki carefully spread the map of the Land of Fire across the ground in front of Yukina and the others. His eyes scanned the terrain as he spoke, his voice steady and commanding.
"According to our intel, Kumogakure's base lies on the eastern border of the Land of Fire. It will take us roughly ten days to reach it—provided Konoha shinobi don't decide to ambush us along the way. Stay sharp, everyone."
"Yukina, stay alert at all times. Report immediately if you sense any shinobi nearby."
Yukina nodded firmly, a serious glint in her eyes, but a small, playful smile tugged at her lips.
"Got it sensei."
Fuguki then swept his gaze across all of them, his voice calm but commanding as he gave his instructions.
"We'll advance in a triangular formation. Konoha shinobi could ambush us at any moment—this formation gives us the edge to handle any sudden attack."
"Yukina, you'll take the spear position. Since you're the only sensor in our team, use the hand signals we learned at the academy to alert us whenever you sense enemy shinobi nearby."
Yukina nodded in understanding. Fuguki's expression remained serious as he continued speaking.
"Zabuza, Mengetsu, you'll take the flanks. Kisame and I will cover the rear. Any questions?"
Kisame and the others shook their heads in unison, a silent confirmation that they fully understood their tasks.
"Good let's move."
Without another word, Fuguki and the others shunshined away from the Kirigakure base, disappearing into the shadows.
_______